Dual slide method and apparatus to provide simultaneous automatic cuing and showing of slides

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus to effect: 1. the simultaneous movement of a first slide from a tray into a projecting means for viewing by an audience while a second slide in the tray, that contains information relevant to the first slide, is moved into a position where it can be viewed solely by the lecturer to enable him to be automatically cued in on the subject matter of the first slide, 2. to effect the simultaneous return of the slides to the tray, 3. successive dual septum movements of the tray automatically in either a forward or reverse direction so that movement of additional pairs of slides from the tray to their associated audience viewing and lecturer viewing positions can be accomplished.

United States Patent Peterson [54] DUAL SLIlDE METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE SIMULTANEOUS AUTOMATIC CUHNG AND SHOWING OF SLIDES [72] Inventor: Dean M. Peterson, Littleton, C010.

[73] Assignee: Honeywell, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

[22] Filed: Oct. 27, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 869,658

3,480,357 11/1969 Tsuyama et al ..353/21 Primary Examiner-Harry N. Haroian Attorney-Arthur H. Swanson, Lockwood D. Burton and John Shaw Stevenson [57] ABSTRACT A method and apparatus to effect: 1. the simultaneous movement of a first slide from a tray into a projecting means for viewing by an audience while a second slide in the tray, that contains information relevant to the first slide, is moved into a position where it can be viewed solely by the lecturer to enable him to be automatically cued in on the subject matter of the first slide, 2. to effect the simultaneous return of the slides to the tray, 3. successive dual septum movements of the tray automatically in either a forward or reverse direction so that movement of additional pairs of slides from the tray to their associated audience viewing and lecturer viewing positions can be accomplished.

10 Claims, 21 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJmwmm 3535.550 WEN 01 OF M L m INVENTOR.

L J L DEAN M.. PETERSON PATENTEUMWWZ 38550 SHEET 620? H INVENTOR. DEAN M. PETERSON PAIENIEU m4 1 8 I912 SHEET U3UF11 INVENTOR. DEAN M. PETERSON AGENT.

WENWD m w 1912 SHEET 06M H FIG. l5

INVENTOR DEAN 1M. PETERSON MHWU mm H mm SHEET 07W 11 I P-l? INVENTOR. DEAN M. PETERSON FATENTEDJANWIW 3535550 SHEET 08 0F 11 mqm mm m mw Em M a 1 my PATENIED JAN 1' e 1912 SHEEI 09 0F 11 DEAN M. PETERSON W AGENT.

PATENTEDJMIBIEY? $635,550

sum 10M 11 INVENTOR. DEAN M. PETERSON AGENT.

DUAL SLIDE METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE SIMULTANEOUS AUTOMATIC CUING AND SHOWING 01F SLIDES It is an object of the present invention to provide a unique automatic slide cuing apparatus for a slide projector.

To retain the attention of present day audiences during a slide lecture experimentation has shown that the lecturer should make sure that the time he allows for the showing of any one slide on a screen does not exceed 12 seconds.

It is also imperative for the aforementioned reason that any comments which a lecturer makes on any given slide must be accomplished within this 12 second period.

Separate hand held notes and/or story boards that have heretofore provided lecturers with a print of each of the pictures to be shown and descriptive information for same have not solved this timely showing of slide problems. The reason for this is these mediums require too much time on the part of the lecturer to visually match the projected picture with the material shown on the story board to make sure they are related to one another before he can refer to the material on this medium in his lecture.

It is therefore another object of the present invention to eliminate the need for the cumbersome, unnecessary time consuming story boards, prompting cards and the like by providing a slide projector with a means for moving a first one of a pair of slides from its tray into a position for projecting on an external screen and simultaneously moving another of the slides, containing cue material about the first slide, into a position where it canbe projected on a cue viewing wall of the projector.

It is another object of the present invention to provide cue slide moving and viewing apparatus for use with a slide projector for visually giving a lecturer a cue about a slide being viewed by his audience without allowing his audience to be aware that he is referring to such a cue slide.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus to enable an auto cue action to take place wherein; 1. a first selected slide is shown on a screen While the second slide that is shown on a viewing screen that forms a part of a projector is employed to act as a cue for the first slide, 2. the first and second slides are returned to a tray, 3. the tray advanced two septums so thats third slide is moved into the show position and projected onto the screen while a fourth slide containing descriptive material about the third slide is moved to the aforementioned cue viewing position and steps similar to steps l-3 repeated for additional slides.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus of the aforementioned type that will effect the movement of other succeeding pairs of slides automatically from the tray into their respective show and cue view positions as the tray continues to be moved in a forward direction and which will perform a similar but reverse action to that just described when the tray is driven in a reverse direction.

A better understanding of the present invention may be had from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing how a scotch yoke having a crank arm pin driven cui'ved channel is employed to move a pair of slide-pulling jaws and the two slides in a straight line between their preview and show positions;

FIG. 2 shows the preview and show position into which the slides are positioned by the slide-pulling jaws shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a second position of the tray after the tray has been moved two septums in a forward direction from the position shown in FIG. 2 by an indexing mechanism, and other slides different from those shown in FIG. 2, have been moved into their preview and show positions;

FIG. 4 shows a third position of the tray after the tray has been moved two septums in a reverse direction from the position shown in FIG. 2 by the unique indexing mechanism and two other slides, different from those shown in FIGS. 2 or 3, have been moved into their preview show positions;

LII

FIG. 5 shows how the slides shown for example in FIG. i are returned jointly to the tray by the slide moving apparatus of FIG. II; I

- either one or two teeth during any one slide tray indexing operation;

FIG. 6A is a view showing a rib and spring connection to retain the control lever of FIG. 6 in an active and inactive position.

FIG. 7 shows the indexing mechanism in a position in which a leading tooth on one of its pivot arms has been moved in a nondriving relation past the tray indexing pinion and its trailing tooth is starting to engage and advance the tray indexing pinion one tooth unit in a counterclockwise direction and in a direction to advance the tray one septum in a forward direction;

FIG. 8 shows that the lever has been moved from its inactive solid line position shown in FIG. 6 to a position in which a protrusion thereon is moving a drive pin, and a dual tooth segment to which the pin is attached toward a stop on a pallet so that the pivot arm will be placed in a position where both its leading and trailing teeth can be engaged with a tooth on the tray indexing pinion;

FIG. 9 shows the beginning of the dual tooth engagement of the pivot arm referred to in the description of FIG. h and after the protrusion on the lever has slid off the drive pin that is carried by the pivot arm;

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of the spring and the support thereof in a position shown for example in FIG. 9;

FIG. III is a right end view of the pivot arm and a spring associated therewith as well as the driving pin that protrudes therefrom with which the protrusion on the lever shown in FIG. 8 is engaged and;

FIG. 12 shows the pallet and pivot. arms thereon being driven in a reverse direction to that just described for FIGS. 7 8, and 9, and how the protrusion on tlhe lever is positioned similarly to FIG. 8 to engage a drive pin on another of the two pivot arms after the top pallet portion on which this arm is mounted has been rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in FIG. l2.

FIG. I3 is an external view of the projector taken from its front left corner and shows its left side, top and front faces;

FIG. Ml is an external view of the projector taken from its rear right corner and shows its right side, top and rear faces;

FIG. 15 is an external plan view of the projector showing the position of the tray holder and driving index pinion;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the projector similar to FIG. 15 but with a portion of the casing removed to reveal the internal driving parts of the slide and index driving mechanism contained therein;

FIG. 17 is a section on ll7l7 of FIG. In showing the index pinion in driving contact with a rack formed on the side of the y;

FIG. 1% is a view taken through the preview position and along the line lld-lb of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is an elevational view taken along the line lit-W of FIG. llti;

FIG. 20 is an exploded view of the parts employed for the slide-gripping jaws shown in FIG. ll;

FIG. 1 shows an internal portion of a slide projector Ill having a tray indexing apparatus Ill having a mechanism plate 12, a reversible motor gear reduction drive Ml mounted thereon that is connected by a gear reduction unit lo to a gear Id and crank arm 20 to drive these elements in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction about stub shaft 22. that in turn isfixedly mounted on the mechanism plate 121.

A drive pin 24 is connected to one end of the crank arm 20 to engage the crank slider 26. A cross plate 2% is fixed to the slider 2s and the slide-gripping mechanism 30 is fixedly connected for movement with the crank slider 26 that in turn is mounted for movement along the stationary rod 32 which is mechanism plate 12.

The .slide mechanism just described and the shutter mechanism 33 is similar to that disclosed in a previously filed Stephen Blecher et a1. U.S. Pat. application, Ser. No. 759,608, except that the central portion of the slider 26 is constructed of a substantially arcuate-shaped configuration in lieu of a straight line channel construction.

The purpose of this arcuate construction is to allow more time for the indexing mechanism to move the tray through a distance that will allow two different adjacent pair of slides in the tray to be moved during each indexing operation into a position where they may be transported into their respective show and preview positions before such dual slide movement takes place. This arcuate construction also enables the motion of the crank arm 20 and its associated pin 24 to speed up the time it initially takes during the start of the movement that the crank slider is required to make in returning the slides for example 40, 42, to the tray 44 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the additional cycle time required to index the slides will be nullified.

More specifically, it can thus be seen from the aforementioned description that the speeding up action will enable the loss in time, that was needed to move the tray 44 two slide units in a forward and reverse manner to be cancelled and the time required to make a complete slide-changing cycle to remain the same as that set forth in the Stephen Blecher et al. US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 759,608.

The manner in which the unique dual indexing mechanism 11 shown in FIGS. 6-12 provides a way of allowing two different slides 42, 40 to be first removed from the tray 44 so they can be placed in their preview and show position as shown in FIG. 2 back into the tray and after the tray is moved forward two septums from the FIG. 2 position to then allow the next two different slides 46, 48, to be moved into their respective show and preview positions as shown in FIG. 3.

Alternatively it can also be seen from FIG. 4 that the tray 44 can be moved from FIG. 2 position two septums in a reverse manner so that the first two slides 50, 52 in the tray 44 can be placed in their respective preview and show positions and returned to the tray 44 in the manner shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 shows the rotatable type of pusher mechanism 54 having slide-engaging pushing arms 56, 58, employed in the Stephen Blecheret al. Pat. application, Ser. No. 759,608, to push two slides at a time from the tray into the slide-gripping mechanism 30 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a gear 60 positioned in driving relation between the crank arm driving gear 18 and a gear 62 whose front face forms a pallet 64. The gear is mounted for rotation in either a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction about a suitable stub shaft 66 that has its lower end fixed to the mechanism plate 12.

The pallet 64 supports a. first arm 68 that is rotatably mounted thereon by means of a first pin shaft 70. The shaft 64 also supports a second arm 72 that is rotatably mounted thereon by means of a second pivot pin 74.

Each of the arms 68, 72 have associated pairs of teeth 76, 78; 80, 82 at their respective outermost ends. Each arm 68, 72 has an associated L-shaped wall portion 84, 86, forming a recess therein to accommodate the insertion of associated leg portions 88, 90 of a tooth spring 92 therein to maintain their respective first and second toothed arms 68, 72 in a neutral position as shown in FIGS. 6 and 11.

The central portion of the tooth spring 92 is fixedly mounted by means of a pin 94 on pallet 64. The leg portions 88, 90 of the spring 92 are retained against movement away from the upper surface of the pallet 64 by means of T-shaped member 96 that is retained in the pallet 64 by means of rivets 98, 100.

Pairs of cylindrically shaped protuberances 102, 104, 106, 108 are shown fixedly connected to and protruding outwardly from the flat side of the pallet 64 to the upper flat surface level of the arms 68, 72 in order to form arm stops.

Each pair of stops 102, 104; 106, 108 therefore provide a means against which the opposite side edges 110, 112, 114, M6 ofthe arms 68, 72 can be engaged andstopped when they are rotated through an arc in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

A first cylindrical pin 118 that is fixedly attached to and which protrudes upwardly from the pivoted tooth arm 68 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 11 and a second pin 120 similarto the first pin 118, is shown fixedly attached to and protruding upwardly from the pivoted tooth arm 72 as shown for example in FIG. 6.

A substantially T-shaped control lever 122 is shown in FIG. 6 mounted for rotation on a stub shaft 124 which in turn is fixedly supported on and protrudes downwardly from the underside surface of the tray support plate 126.

When the T-shaped control lever 122 is in a position that is above the flat surface of the arms 68, 72, as shown in FIG. I, a protrusion 128 thereon formed by a bent down right corner portion will remain out of contact with each of the respective drive pins I18, or 120 associated with the arms 68, 72 as the pallet 64 is rotated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction by motor 14 and its associated gear reduction drive 16.

While the control lever 122 is in this out of arm contact position and the index pinion actuating arm 68 has been rotated from the position shown in FIG. 6 toward the position shown in FIG. 7 it can be seen that the centrifugal force will cause arm 68 to rotate counterclockwise about its pivot and in an opposite direction to the clockwise direction in which the pallet 64 is being rotated by the motor 14 and gear reduction unit 16.

While the aforementioned counterclockwise swing movement of the arm 68 takes place the teeth 76, 78 on the end of the arm 68 will be gradually moved out at a greater distance from the axis of the rotation of the pallet 64 toward the teeth of the slide tray indexing pinion 130 as the right edge 110 approaches the stop 102 on the pallet. Before the right edge hits the stop as shown in FIG. 7 it can be seen that the leading tooth 76 will have moved passed for example the teeth 132, 134 of the tray indexing pinion 130 without having any driving contact occurring between the tooth 76 and the teeth 132 or 1.34 of the tray index pinion 130.

When the centrifugal force inherent in arm 68 due to the rotation of the pallet 64 has moved the edge of the arm 68 against the stop 102 the upper end of the arm will have been moved to a position in which it is compressing leg 84 of spring 92. When in this latter-mentioned position the trailing tooth 78 on the lower end of the arm 68 will have been moved into the position shown in FIG. 7 and further rotation of the pallet 64 will cause tooth 78 to engage the tooth 134 and thereby effect the rotation of the slide indexing pinion I30 a single tooth in a counterclockwise direction. While this action takes place another tooth 136 on the pinion 130 will engage the gear tooth rack 138 of the tray 44 and cause the tray 44 to be advanced one septum length in a forward left to right direction as shown in FIG. 3.

After the teeth 76, 78, have passed the teeth on the pinion 130 the energy stored in the bent leg 88 of tooth spring 92 will return the arm 68 to its neutral position as shown in FIG. 6.

The thumb-actuated portion 140 of the T-shaped control lever 122, shown in FIG. 6, can be engaged and moved with the lever I22 clockwise about shaft 124 to place it in a second position wherein the triangular-shaped spring 142 on its left end is moved from its solid line position over a triangularshaped rib 144 on the tray support plate 126 to its dash line position as shown in FIG. 6A.

When the control lever 122 is in the last-mentioned position and as shown in FIG. 8 the protrusion 128 on the lever 122 will have been brought into engagement with the pin 118 on the pinion-actuating arm 68 to push the arm toward the stop 102 so that its right edge will engage the stop 102 in a shorter period of time than could be attained without this lever actuation as was the case in the previously described lever positioning operation previously set forth under the description of FIG. I.

While the stationary protrusion 12% on the control lever 122 continues to move the pin 118 and its associated arm 66 from the position shown in FIG. ii to a position where the arm 66 engages the stop 102 the radial distance between the center of the pallet 64 and the pin 118 will gradually increase and the protrusion 126 will slip off of the pin 118 and out of driving engagement with same just before the arm 66 reaches its engaged position with the stop 102 as shown in FIG. 9.

This action will enable the leading tooth 76 of the arm 68 shown in FIG. 9 to be positioned at a sufiicient radial distance from the center of the pallet 64 so that tooth 76 will engage tooth 132 to move the pinion 130 one tooth length in a clockwise direction. Immediately thereafter tooth 78 will be engaged with the tooth 134 to drive the pinion an additional tooth length in a clockwise direction. The aforementioned dual tooth driving action will in turn allow the pinion 131) to advance the rack 13% two septum lengths in a forward left to right direction rather than in a one septum length under the condition set forth under the description of FIG. 7.

It can be seen that while the pallet 64 is rotated in a clockwise motion shown in FIGS. 7, 6, and 9, that the teeth 80, 32, on the other arm 74 will be allowed to slip past the teeth of the pinion 136 without any driving action occurring between these parts. This nondriving tooth slipping action occurs because the arm 72 on which the teeth 60, 82, are formed remains out of contact with its drive pin 106. This condition exists because the centrifugal force inherent in the arm 74 due to the rotation of pallet 64 causes the arm 72 to be moved about shaft 70 away from its associated driving stop 106 and the resulting radial distance between the center of the pallet 64 of the teeth 80, 82 of the arm 72 to be reduced or in other words moved in a direction away from the top of the teeth of the index pinion 130.

REVERSE INDEXING OF SLIDE TRAY When the motor 14 is reversed the pallet 64 will be driven in the counterclockwise direction shown in FIG. 12. As this rotation occurs a centrifugal force will be inherent in the arm 61] that will move it in a clockwise direction about the shaft 70 away from its driving pin 1112 against the bias of the leg 90 of spring 92 and in a direction away from the teeth on the index pinion 130.

It can be seen that while the aforementioned action occurs the distance between the teeth 76, 76 on arm 611 and the center of the pallet 64 will be diminished and this will cause the teeth 78, 76 on the arm 66 to slip past the teeth of the pinion 130 without any tray indexing pinion driving action occuring.

The other arm 72 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 7 through a position in which the protrusion 128 on the control lever 122 momentarily contacts the drive pin 120 of the arm 72 and during the time in which the radial distance between the center of the pallet 64 and the outermost portion of the teeth 61], 82, is increasing.

After the pin 1211 hits protrusion 126 the pin will continue to be moved in an arc-shaped manner outward by its inherent centrifugal force to a position that is out of contact with the protrusion, and thence into contact along arm edge 114 with stop pin 106. When the edge 114 of the arm 72 hits the stop pin 106 it will have been prepositioned by the protrusion 128 on the lever 122 into a position in which the teeth 80, 82 will successively contact and advance the indexing pinion 1311 two tooth units in a counterclockwise direction. Since the indexing pinion 130 is also in contact. with the rack 133 the rack will similarly be moved two septum lengths in a reverse right to left direction as shown in FIG. 4.

If the T-shaped control lever 122 is positioned in the solid line position shown in FIG. 6 in which its protrusion 126 remains out of contact with the drive pin 120 on arm 72 as the rotation of the pallet 64 causes it to be arcuately rotated thereon the arm 72 will under this lever position be moved at a much slower rate toward the stop 106 than the previously described movement it would incur when the pin 1211 was brought into contact with the protrusion 128 on the lever 122. This slower motion of the arm 72 thus prevents the outer circumferential surface of the tooth 60 from being moved far enough away from the center of the pallet 64 where driving contact could be made by the tooth 60 with tooth 134 shown in FIG. 12.

The first tooth til) on the arm 72 will thus slip in a counterclockwise direction by the tooth 134 of the index pinion 136 shown in FIG. 12 without being brought into driving contact therewith. The aforementioned centrifugal force inherent in arm 72 will however cause the remaining tooth 132 to be moved far enough away from the center of the pallet 64 and into contact with the driving stop 1116 so that driving contact can be made with the tooth 134 of the index pinion 136 to advance it one tooth length in a counterclockwise direction. Under this FIG. 12 index pinion condition the gear rack 136 will thus be advanced one septum in a reverse or right or left direction or in an opposite direction to that set forth under the description of FIG. 7.

MECHANISMS FOR PUSI-IING, GRIIPPING, IIICKING AND CHANGING SLIDES The projector 10 shown in FIGS. 13-17 is provided with a wall portion 146 which forms a rectangular recess to accommodate the insertion of a tray 48 therein as is best shown in FIG. 17.

Pairs of e.g., the previously mentioned slides e.g., 4'9, 42; 46, 46 are moved from their in tray, 46, position into their respective cuing and show positions by means of the slide pushing mechanism 54. The mechanism 54 is constructed of two rocker pusher arms 56, 58, that are joined together by screw connections 151i, 152 with member 149 to form a part that is of a substantially C-shaped configuration.

The previously referred to rocker prusher arm 56, 58 has pivot pins 154, 156 that are mounted for pivotal movement in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction in associated stationary bearing numbers 158, 1611. These arm-bearing numbers 151i, 1611 are in turn fixedly connected by screw means 162, 164 to the stationary mechanism plate 12.

As is best shown in FIG. 17 the lower end of the rocker pusher arm 54 is of a preselected shape so that rotary movement of the cam 166, with which it is in physical surface to surface contact, will cause the pusher arms 56, 53 to be rocked on its bearing members 156., 161) for movement between its solid line outside tray position to its dash line inside tray position.

This pusher actuator cam 166 is mounted on a shaft 166 that passes through the mechanism plate 12. The other end of this shaft 168 is fixedly connected to the. previously mentioned index gear 62 for rotation therewith. The index gear 62, shaft 166 and the cam 166 mounted thereon are all supported for joint rotation on the mechanism plate 12.

When a high point of the cam 166 comes into contact with the lower end portion 149 of the pusher arm it will move its upper slide-pushing ends 56, 58 from an outside tray position towards the tray against the edge of two slides 42. 46 therein to push them simultaneously out of the tray into the slidegripping mechanism 311. This action is best shown at the left end position of FIGS. 1 and 17.

As is best seen in FIGS. 1 and 20 the gripping mechanism 311 is comprised of upper and lower portions 176, 172 that are joined together as an integral unit by means of a connecting rod 174 that in turn has peened over portions 176, 171% at its outer ends to retain a pair of jaws 1641, 1.112 therein. One of the jaw portions 11111 has a set of pins 164, 1.116 pivotally mounting it in the walls 166, formed in the upper and lower portion 176, 172.

The otherjaw portion 162 also has a set of pins 192, 1914 for pivotally mounting it in the walls 1'96, 1% formed in the upper and lower portions 170, 172.

The upper and lower portions 170, 172 also have wall portions 199, 200 forming slots to accommodate the insertion of one end of their associated springs 201, 202 therein. The other end of each of these springs 201, 202 are engaged with their respective jaw portions 180, 182 to apply a biasing force thereto and to force their gripping edges 204, 206 toward one another and into engagement against opposite side surfaces 208, 210 of a slide-separating member 212.

A pair of rods2l4, 216 extending between recessed walls 218, 220; 222, 224 in the upper and lower portions 170, 172 are employed to restrict the degree of motion to which each jaw portion 180, 182 is allowed to swing in an outward direction.

As is best shown in FIGS. 17, 19, and the aforementioned gripping mechanism is integrally mounted by means of retaining pin 226 on the cross plate 28 for movement therewith As is best shown in FIG. 19, the cross plate 28 in turn is of an .L-shaped configuration having its upper end in slidable engagement with a groove 228 formed in an upper right side portion of the slide guide 230. I

As is best shown in FIGS 1 and 19 the lower end of the cross plate 28 is fixedly connected by screw connections 232, 234 to a crank slider 26 for movement therewith in a straight line along a shaft 32. Two bearing portions 236, 238 are formed on the crank slider 26 in order to accommodate its aforementioned straight line movement along the shaft 32.

The opposite ends of shaft 32 are fixedly retained in the channel portions formed in support members 244, 246 which form a part of the mechanism plate 12 by the heads of the screw connections 36, 34 that are threadedly connected in tight relationship to this mechanism plate 12.

The crank slider 26 which is slidably mounted on shaft 32 is also comprised of a channel portion 248 into which a cyclindrically-shaped driving pin 24, mounted on one end of the crank arm 20, is slidably engaged.

The other end of the crank arm 20 is mounted on a shaft 22 which passes through the mechanism plate 12. The other end of this shaft 22 in turn is mounted on the previously-mentioned crank drive gear 18 for rotation therewith on the mechanism plate 12.

It can be seen from the aforementioned description of the slide-changing mechanism 250 that rotation of the reversible motor 14 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 17 will cause the pulleys 252, 254, belt 256, and pinion 258 to rotate in a clockwise direction, the gear 260 and pinion 262 to rotate in a clockwise direction, and the crank drive gear 18 and its associated drive shaft 22, crank arm 20, and drive pin 24 to be driven in a clockwise direction.

After the previously described slide-gripping mechanism 30 has moved the slide into its show position and is thereafter moved out of gripping engagement with the right bound edge 264 of this slide 40 as shown in solid line form in FIGS. 1 and 17 the crank arm 20 and the drive pin 24 is thereafter rotated in a clockwise direction as previously described.

This action will cause the crank slider 26, the cross plate 28 and the gripping mechanism 30 to move through their dotted line preview positions to their extreme left dotted line slide pickup positions during the first one half of the show position to show position cycle.

After 20 of clockwise angular rotation of crank arm 20 from its solid line shown position has been accomplished the top of the portion of the ejector arm 266 of the slide-kicking mechanism 268, which is pivoted by means of pin 270 on cross plate 28, will commit ee to engage an ejector cam 272 on top side guide 230. This action will jointly push this slide 40 that was in the show position, and then this slide 40 along with the slide 42 that was in the cuing position jointly back into the tray 48. This tray return action will take place before the motor driven crank arm 20, crank slider 26 and cross plate 28 move the gripping mechanism 30 into its dotted left end position shown at the lower end in FIG. 1.

The aforementioned condition is a time saving device because it enables the previously described indexing of the tray 148 to take place before the gripping mechanism 30 has returned to a position for receiving the next set of slides as shown in dash line form at the left end of FIG. 17. 7

It should be noted that as the slide 40 is being returned in the aforementioned manner from its show position that its upper marginal edge portion will slide along the tapered slide track surfaces 274 and 276 formed in its associated top slide guide 278 and 280 and its bottom marginal portions will simultaneously he slid along the tapered slide track surfaces 282, 284, formed in its associated bottom slide guides 286, 288.

Also it should be understood that as the slide 42 is being returned in the aforementioned manner from its cuing position that its upper marginal edge portion will slide along the tapered top and bottom slide track surfaces 290, 292 in its as-' sociated top and bottom slide guides 280, 288.

Each of the bottom slide guides 286, 288 have and are supported by embossed portions 294, 296 extending into an associated coil spring 298, 300 that is grounded against supports 302, 304. FIGS. 18 and 19 show these springs 298, 300 are employed to bias the track portions 282, 284, 292 of the guides 288 in an upward direction against the lower edge of the respective slides 40, 42.

Because the tracks 282, 292, and 284 are tapered and because the bottom slide guide 286, 288 can be moved in a downward direction to accommodate different slides this construction will enable these tracks to receive bound, unbound thick or thin slides that are mounted in different materials and to handle any of them expeditiously as they are moved by the aforementioned slide-changing mechanism 250.

The back marginal surface of the slide 40 and the front marginal surface of the slide 42 are always kept in contact with the respective opposite front and back surfaces of the slideseparating track portions 306, 308. Since these tracks 306, 308 are aligned with and of the same thickness as the slideseparating member 212 of the gripping mechanism 30 this construction is unique in that it will always maintain a good fixed spaced-apart relationship between any two adjacent slides, for example, slides 40, 42 when these slides are moved into and out of the tray 86 from and to their cuing and show positions.

After the slides 40, 42 have been ejected back into the tray 148 by the ejector arm 266 and the gripping mechanism 30 has returned to its dotted slide cuing position shown at the left side in FIG. 17 the slide tray 48 will be simultaneously indexed two septum in e.g., a forward direction. The cam 166 will then move the slide-pushing part 310 of pusher arms 56, 58, from its solid line out of tray position into its dotted line in tray position and the slide 46 will be pushed between one side of the slide-separating member 212 and the jaw-gripping edge 206 of the gripping mechanism 30.

While the aforementioned action takes place the slide 48 will also be simultaneously pushed between the other side of the slide-separating member 212 and the jaw-gripping edge 204 of the slide-gripping mechanism 30 by the slide-pushing end 310 of the slide-pushing mechanism 54.

The motor-pulley belt gear crank arm drive 14, 252, 256, 254, 258, 260, 262, I8, 22, 20, 24 will then drive the crank slider 26, the cross plate 28 and gripping mechanism .30

.mounted thereon from their extreme dotted line positions shown nearest the bottom of FIG. 1 to their next dotted line cuing position shown nearest the top of FIG. 1 where the marginal edges of the slide 48 (FIG. 3) will hit the stationary stops 312, 314, (FIG. 17) and will therebybe wiped out of its position between jaws and slide-separating mechanism 212.

The slide-gripping mechanism 30 continues without stopping to and through the show position to its solid line position shown nearest the top end of FIG. 1.

While the slide 46 (FIG. 3) is moved by the slide-gripping mechanism 30 into its correct show position its right end will hit the stationary stops 316, 318, and will be wiped out of its position between jaw 182 and slide-separator member 212. When the slide-gripping member is brought out of gripping relation with the slide 46 and placed in its solid line position as 43 and 46 into their respective cuing and show positions the top end of the ejector arm 266 will be forced into engagement with the stationary ejector cam 272 and this will cause the arm 266 to rotate about its pivot pin 270 that is mounted on the cross plate 23. As this rotation takes place a lower end portion of the ejector arm 266 will be forced into a curved slotted out wall portion 320 formed in the cross plate 23 to accommodate this ejector arm movement. The aforementioned construction thus allows a lower end portion of the slide ejector mechanism 322 to be rotated counterclockwise clear of and to the right of the slides 43, 46 and slidegripping mechanism 30.

It should be understood that when the motor I4 is reversed that the tray will be indexed two septum at a time in a reverse manner to that just described.

After the slides 46, 43 are returned to the tray 44 in the manner similar to that previously described for slides 40, 42 and the tray 44 is moved two septum in a reverse direction as shown in FIG. 4 the next two new slides that will be pushed from the tray 44 into the slide-gripping mechanism 30 for movement into the cuing and show positions will be the slides 50 and 52 as shown in FIG. 4.

It should also be noted that an aperture plate 324 is supported on, an embossed base portion 326 of the projector I by means of a suitable number of screw connections 323, 330, 332, in the manner shown in FIGS. I6 and I9.

The aperture plate 324 has a first inner cuing plate wall portion 334 that forms asquare-shaped aperture for surrounding the marginal surfaces of a slide such as a slide 42 when this slide 42 is moved into a cuing position by the gripping and slide-changing mechanisms 30, 250, as shown in FIG. 17.

The aperture plate 324 has a second inner preview wall portion 336 that forms a square-shaped aperture that surrounds marginal surfaces of a slide such as the slide 40 when this slide 40 is moved into a show position by the gripping and slidechanging mechanism 30, 250, as shown in FIG. 17.

As is best shown in FIG. 17 the aperture plate 324 has a pair of spaced-apart vertical tracks 333, 343 fixedly attached thereto by means of their respective screw connections 341, 342, 344, 346, 343.

A rectangular substantially U-shaped edit plate 350 is shown in a position in which its elongated axis is in a vertical plane and its opposite side edge portions are retained for vertical movement in opposite inner marginal portions of each of the vertically positioned tracks at 333, 340.

The previously referred to top slide guide 230 (FIG. I7) is fixedly connected through the use of protuberances 352, 354 mounted thereon that are forced into associated wall portion 356, 353 that form apertures in the edit plate 350.

Mounted on the top slide guide 230 is a handle 360 having an upper finger'grasping portion that is of an T-beam-shaped configuration. The lower portion of this handle 360 is connected to the edit plate 350 by suitable rivet connections 362 and 364.

The previously referred to spring support 304 located at the bottom slide and a guide 233 in FIGS. 17 and 13 is fixedly attached by screw connections 366, 363 to the movable edit plate 350. The left side of the bottom slide guide 238 has two embossed portions 370, 372 thereon that slidably fit into as sociated slots 374 and 376 formed in the edit plate 350 in order to allow movement of the bottom slide guide in a vertical up and down direction to and away from its top slide guide 230 when accommodating the previously discussed different size, bound and unbound, thick or thin slides.

FIG. 17 also shows a similar pair of spaced-apart portions 378, 330 employed in the bottom show slide guide 236 and slotted wall portions 332, 334 into which the embossed portions are slidably engaged in a vertical direction for the same purpose as that just described for the bottom preview slide guide 233.

From the description of the slide editing apparatus it can be seen that a slide has been placed in the cuing position can be removed by grasping and pulling the handle 360 from its lowermost solid line position shown in FIG. 113 in an upward direction through its dotted line position until either end of the tracks 233 is above the top of the edit wall 336. In this lastmentioned position the slide can be readily removed by grasping a marginal edge thereof between the fingers and sliding it out either side of the slide track 233.

SHUTTER FIGS. l and I6 shows a shutter mechanism 33 having two shutter arms 333 and 390 having associated shutter blades 392 and 394 integrally connected thereto. A connecting rod 396 and pin connection 393 and 400 are shown interconnecting the second of these shutter arms 390 for joint movement with the shutter arm 333. Each shutter arm 333, 390 is mounted by means of a pivot pin 402, 404 in apertured wall bearing portions 406, 403 formed in the mechanism plate 12 to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise on this mechanism plate I2.

FIG. 1 shows that an arcuate sidewall 4ll0 is formed in the mechanism plate ll2 adjacent the pivot pin 402 of the first shutter arm 333 and that a protuberance 4112 that is integral with this arm 333 protrudes downwardly from the arm througlrthe slotted wall 410.

A coil spring 414 is shown wrapped around the pin 402 and grounded at one end 4R6 to the mechanism plate 12 and positioned at its other end 4113 in spring biased engagement with protuberance 4112 to keep the protuberance 412 at the left end of the slotted wall 410 so that the first shutter arm 333 is biased in a closed direction to the left of the position shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the right side of FIG. I.

Since the second shutter arm 390 is connected for movement with the first shutter arm 333 the second arm will likewise be retained in a position that is closed and to the left of that shown in FIG. I as viewed from the right side of FIG. ll.

When the slide arm 26 of the scotch yoke slide-actuating mechanism 250 is moved from its left dotted line position to its right solid line position it can be seen that the right side of the slider 26 will hit the protuberance and move it towards the right end of the arcuate slot 410. This action will cause the shutter blades 392, 394 to be simultaneously moved away from their closed position in front of the cuing and show apertures 336 and 333 formed in the aperture plate 324 shown in FIG. 17 so that light can pass through the slides e.g., 42 and 40.

CUING APPARATUS (FIGS. 14. i5. R6 8: I3)

4. first one of the component parts that are employed in the light-transmitting apparatus 420 of the slide projector I0 is a light source 422 which may be any one of a number of dif ferent commercially available varieties but which is preferably of a T4 clear quartz construction.

This light source 422 is employed to transmit light rays, for example ray 424, emitted therefrom through lens 426, a transparency 40 that is in a show position, through a focusing lens 423 onto a screen, not shown, which is located outside the projector 10.

The light source 422 is also employed to transmit a second set of light rays, for example ray 430, emitted therefrom in series against lightrreflecting mirrors 432, 434 through lens 436 against the outer surface of the transparency 40 in the show position onto a light sensitive element 433 of an automatic focusing unit 440.

The light source 422 is also employed to transmit a third set of light rays, for example ray 442, emitted therefrom in series against a characterized spherical reflector 444 through a diffusing plate 446 and as diffused light through the second transparency 42 that is retained in cuevie-w guides 230, 233, through which the slide-changing mechanism 250 moves the gripping mechanism 30 shown in FIG. 20.

The diffuser 446 is preferably made of a polyester sheet material which is made from a reaction between ethylene glycol and terepthelic acid, commonly referred to in the trade as MYLAR.

After the diffused light has passed through the second transparency 42 its light image is projected by means of an inexpensive lens 448 and a light stop 450 onto a second reflector 452 that is located within the projector as is shown in detail in FIG. 18.

The light image of the transparency 42 that has been cast on the sloped second reflector 452 contains descriptive information aboutthe slide 40 that is being shown so that a lecturer can use this information as a cue that he can personally observe through a viewing window 454 that forms a top wall portion of the projector 10.

it should be noted that during each occasion in which the index pinion 130 is rotated by the motor 14 in the manner previously described the pinion will be retained in that position by the spring bias sphere unit 455, 455a, 455b.

It should be noted that the walls 456, 458, 460 that forms a part of the casing of the projector 10 are positioned so that the audience to whom the speaker is lecturing will not be able to see the cue material on slide 42 that relates to the slide 42 that is projected on the cue screen 454.

The audience will thus be able to see every other slide taken from the slide tray 44 that is projected on a separate screen located at a remote distance from the projector 10 whereas the lecturer will be able to see the cue material on each of the remaining slides as they are brought into their cue viewing position on screen 454 during the time their associated slides are projected on the remote screen.

lclaim:

1. In a slide projector comprising means for receiving slides to be projected, a slideactuating means to move a first selected one of two adjacent slides from the receiving means in a straight path into a show position for projecting on a viewing screen, and for simultaneously moving the other of said two slides that contain information about the first selective slide in a straight path into a cue viewing position in the projector while said first slide is being moved past said last-mentioned slide andwherein said actuating means is constructed toretum said two slides simultaneously in a reverse direction along the respective straight paths into said slide-receiving means, means to advance the receiving means two slide units, and said actuating means being further operable to thereafter simultaneously move two different slides along said straight paths into said respective show and cue viewing positions.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means employed to move the receiving means is operably connected to move the slide-receiving means two slide units in a forward direction.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means employed to move the receiving means is operably connected to successively move the slide-receiving means two slide units in a forward direction.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means employed to move the receiving means is operably connected to move the slide-receiving means two slide units in a reverse direction. 7

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means employed to move the receiving means is operably connected to successively move the slide-receiving means two slide units in a reverse direction.

6 The method of successively moving different pairs of slides between a slide-receiving means and associated show and cue viewing positions in a projector, the steps comprising No. 1. moving a first one of a pair of slides from said slidereceiving means in a straight path into a position for projecting on a screen while a second one of said slides containing cue information about the first slide is moved from the slides-receiving means in a straight path to a cue viewing means and while said first slide is being moved past said last-mentioned slide; 2. returning the first and second slides along their respective straight paths to the slide-receiving means and moving one of the additional pair of slides from the slide-receiving means along the first-mentioned path into said projecting position andback in a reverse direction along said last-mentioned path into the receiving means while the other of the additional pair of slides is moved from the slide-receiving means along the second-mentioned path into said cue viewing position and back into the receiving means.

7. The method of successively moving different pairs of slides between a slide-receiving means and associated show and cue viewing positions in a projector, the steps comprising No. 1. moving a first one of a pair of slides from said receiving means in a straight path into a position for projecting on a screen while a second one of said slides containing cue information about the first slide is moved from the slide-receiving means in a straight path to a cue viewing means and while said first slide is being moved past said last-mentioned slide; No. 2. returning the first and second slides along their respective straight paths to the slide-receiving means, advancing the position of the receiving means two slide units and moving one of the additional pair of slides from the slide-receiving means along the first-mentioned straight path into said projecting position and back along said last-mentioned path into the receiving means while the other one of the said additional pair of slides is moved from the slide-receiving means along the other straight path into said cue viewing position and back along the same last-mentioned straight path into the receiving means.

8. The method of successively moving different pairs of slides between a slide-receiving means and associated show and cue viewing positions in a projector, the steps comprising; No. 1. moving a first one of a pair of slides from said slidereceiving means in a straight path into a position for projecting on a screen while a second one of said slides containing cue information about the first slide is moved from the slide-receiving means in a straight path to a cue viewing means and while said first slide is being moved past said last-mentioned slide; No. 2. returning the first and second slides along their respective straight paths to the slide-receiving means, reversing the position of the receiving means two slide units and moving one of the additional pair of slides from the slide-receiving means along the first-mentioned straight path into said projecting position and back along said last-mentioned path into the receiving means while the other one of said additional pair of slides is moved from the slide-receiving means along the other straight path into said cue viewing position and back along said last-mentioned straight path into the receiving means.

9. A slide cuing and projecting method, comprising the first step of effecting the simultaneous movement of a first slide from a tray in a straight path into a projecting means for viewing by an audience while a second slide in the tray that contains information relevant to the first slide is moved in a straight path that will allow the first-mentioned slide to pass it and to allow the second-mentioned slide to be moved into a position where it can be viewed solely by a lecturer to enable him to be automatically cued in on the subject matter of the first slide, the second step of effecting the simultaneous return of the slides in their respective straight paths to the tray, the third step of effecting successive dual slide unit movements of the tray automatically so that'movement of additional pair of slides from the tray to their associated audience viewing and lecturer viewing positions by way of said respective straight paths can be accomplished.

10. A slide cuing and projecting method, comprising the first step of effecting the simultaneous movement of a first slide from a tray in a straight pathinto a projecting means for viewing by an audience while a second slide in the tray that contains information relevant to the first slide is moved in a straight path that will allow the first-mentioned slide to pass it and to allow the secondmentioned slide to be moved into a position where it can be viewed solely by a lecturer to enable him to be automatically cued in on the subject matter of the first slide, the second step of effecting the simultaneous return 

1. In a slide projector comprising means for receiving slidEs to be projected, a slide-actuating means to move a first selected one of two adjacent slides from the receiving means in a straight path into a show position for projecting on a viewing screen, and for simultaneously moving the other of said two slides that contain information about the first selective slide in a straight path into a cue viewing position in the projector while said first slide is being moved past said last-mentioned slide and wherein said actuating means is constructed to return said two slides simultaneously in a reverse direction along the respective straight paths into said slide-receiving means, means to advance the receiving means two slide units, and said actuating means being further operable to thereafter simultaneously move two different slides along said straight paths into said respective show and cue viewing positions.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means employed to move the receiving means is operably connected to move the slide-receiving means two slide units in a forward direction.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means employed to move the receiving means is operably connected to successively move the slide-receiving means two slide units in a forward direction.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means employed to move the receiving means is operably connected to move the slide-receiving means two slide units in a reverse direction.
 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means employed to move the receiving means is operably connected to successively move the slide-receiving means two slide units in a reverse direction.
 6. The method of successively moving different pairs of slides between a slide-receiving means and associated show and cue viewing positions in a projector, the steps comprising No.
 1. moving a first one of a pair of slides from said slide-receiving means in a straight path into a position for projecting on a screen while a second one of said slides containing cue information about the first slide is moved from the slides-receiving means in a straight path to a cue viewing means and while said first slide is being moved past said last-mentioned slide;
 2. returning the first and second slides along their respective straight paths to the slide-receiving means and moving one of the additional pair of slides from the slide-receiving means along the first-mentioned path into said projecting position and back in a reverse direction along said last-mentioned path into the receiving means while the other of the additional pair of slides is moved from the slide-receiving means along the second-mentioned path into said cue viewing position and back into the receiving means.
 7. The method of successively moving different pairs of slides between a slide-receiving means and associated show and cue viewing positions in a projector, the steps comprising No.
 1. moving a first one of a pair of slides from said receiving means in a straight path into a position for projecting on a screen while a second one of said slides containing cue information about the first slide is moved from the slide-receiving means in a straight path to a cue viewing means and while said first slide is being moved past said last-mentioned slide; No.
 2. returning the first and second slides along their respective straight paths to the slide-receiving means, advancing the position of the receiving means two slide units and moving one of the additional pair of slides from the slide-receiving means along the first-mentioned straight path into said projecting position and back along said last-mentioned path into the receiving means while the other one of the said additional pair of slides is moved from the slide-receiving means along the other straight path into said cue viewing position and back along the same last-mentioned straight path into the receiving means.
 8. The method of successively moving different pairs of slides between a slide-receiving means anD associated show and cue viewing positions in a projector, the steps comprising; No.
 1. moving a first one of a pair of slides from said slide-receiving means in a straight path into a position for projecting on a screen while a second one of said slides containing cue information about the first slide is moved from the slide-receiving means in a straight path to a cue viewing means and while said first slide is being moved past said last-mentioned slide; No.
 2. returning the first and second slides along their respective straight paths to the slide-receiving means, reversing the position of the receiving means two slide units and moving one of the additional pair of slides from the slide-receiving means along the first-mentioned straight path into said projecting position and back along said last-mentioned path into the receiving means while the other one of said additional pair of slides is moved from the slide-receiving means along the other straight path into said cue viewing position and back along said last-mentioned straight path into the receiving means.
 9. A slide cuing and projecting method, comprising the first step of effecting the simultaneous movement of a first slide from a tray in a straight path into a projecting means for viewing by an audience while a second slide in the tray that contains information relevant to the first slide is moved in a straight path that will allow the first-mentioned slide to pass it and to allow the second-mentioned slide to be moved into a position where it can be viewed solely by a lecturer to enable him to be automatically cued in on the subject matter of the first slide, the second step of effecting the simultaneous return of the slides in their respective straight paths to the tray, the third step of effecting successive dual slide unit movements of the tray automatically so that movement of additional pair of slides from the tray to their associated audience viewing and lecturer viewing positions by way of said respective straight paths can be accomplished.
 10. A slide cuing and projecting method, comprising the first step of effecting the simultaneous movement of a first slide from a tray in a straight path into a projecting means for viewing by an audience while a second slide in the tray that contains information relevant to the first slide is moved in a straight path that will allow the first-mentioned slide to pass it and to allow the second-mentioned slide to be moved into a position where it can be viewed solely by a lecturer to enable him to be automatically cued in on the subject matter of the first slide, the second step of effecting the simultaneous return of the slides in their respective straight paths to the tray, the third step of effecting successive dual slide unit movements of the tray automatically in forward and reverse directions so that movement of additional pair of slides from the tray to their associated audience viewing and lecturer viewing positions by way of said respective straight paths can be accomplished. 